Marvel’s AVENGERS: Age of Ultron in theaters NOW!

Disclosure: I was invited to a pre-screening of Avengers: Age of Ultron by Disney Pictures. All opinions are my own.

The wait is over, it’s finally here: Avengers: Age of Ultron hits theaters across the country today! Can you believe it’s been three years since the last Avengers movie? We had a few movies from the Marvel Universe to help pass the time (Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy), but the Super Six are back in this one, with a couple of new faces too.

I had the extreme pleasure of attending a pre-screening of Avengers: Age of Ultron this past Tuesday, and it was epic! Iron Man (my favorite…shhh, don’t tell the others), Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye take us on a new adventure as they protect the world from Ultron and his plan to change life as we know it on Earth.

Each character gets individual screen time, allowing us, the audience, to get to know them just a little better and relate to them a bit deeper than just their superhero persona. Their relationship as a team is tested by Ultron (perfectly voiced by James Spader), who is set on executing his plan, no matter the cost. But he is no match for the Avengers and a few new allies, including someone a bit familiar… (no spoilers here! Go see it and find out who I’m talking about!). Speaking of familiar, if you’re a Disney fan, you’ll recognize a familiar tune, with a bit of a creepy spin to it…

I heard Chris Hemsworth say in an interview this week that the first film was like the first day of school, and this second one was like a high school reunion. I really like this analogy. Avengers: Age of Ultron, while filled with the great fight scenes we all expect, also shows how the relationship between these characters has evolved and how they work together in spite of their differences. That cohesiveness, once they’ve gotten more comfortable not only in their own skin but as parts to a whole, make them a better team.

Here’s the OFFICIAL BOILERPLATE:

Marvel Studios presents “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the epic follow-up to the biggest Super Hero movie of all time. When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.

Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” stars Robert Downey Jr., who returns as Iron Man, along with Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk and Chris Evans as Captain America. Together with Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and with the additional support of Don Cheadle as James Rhodes/War Machine, Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, Stellan Skarsgård as Erik Selvig and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, the team must reassemble to defeat James Spader as Ultron, a terrifying technological villain hell-bent on human extinction. Along the way, they confront two mysterious and powerful newcomers, Pietro Maximoff, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen and meet an old friend in a new form when Paul Bettany becomes Vision.

Written and directed by Joss Whedon and produced by Kevin Feige, p.g.a., Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963. Louis D’Esposito, Alan Fine, Victoria Alonso, Jeremy Latcham, Patricia Whitcher, Stan Lee and Jon Favreau serve as executive producers. Get set for an action-packed thrill ride when The Avengers return in Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” on May 1, 2015.

At 141 minutes, the running time seems long, but it won’t matter. There wasn’t a slow moment in the entire film, it was edge-of-your-seat action from start to finish. You’ll sit through it, and want more when it’s over. And you’ll get more: Phase 3 for the Marvel Cinematic Universe begins early next year!

As with all the Marvel movies, don’t forget to watch out for Stan Lee, and look out for that extra scene during the credits. Go see Avengers: Age of Ultron this weekend, and let me know what you thought!